Raven in the Polar Express
by disappearerSyani
Summary: Title says it all! Raven doesn't have the Christmas spirit (or believes in Santa Claus for that matter), so the Polar Express picks her up to embrace it. Slight BBRae. R&R and happy writing to all! Chap5 is UP!
1. Raven's Annoyance

Just to let you know, this story is not about believing in Santa Claus (sorry), but about believing in the spirit of Christmas (Yeah). And if you ask me, that's what's most important of all. Enjoy for all and for all enjoyment!! gets a mouthful of shoe for stupid phrase

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It was that special month in Jump City again. Christmas. Ah, yes. People putting up beautiful decorations on their houses, buying gift-wrapped presents for their loved ones, hanging a Christmas tree, getting into the spirit of things and having a good time all at once. And this is no exception for the our resident superheroes, the Teen Titans, well, maybe… one exception…

"Do we have to go through this every year?" groaned Raven as she passed the Christmas star to Beast Boy (who's wearing a Santa hat by the way) as he decorates the Christmas tree.

"Well, duh! Christmas only happens once a year! We gotta enjoy every moment of it!" B.B replied. Every year on Christmas it was the same: Robin will bake some Christmas cookies to kick start the big day (The Titans suspected that he borrowed the recipes from Starfire); Starfire will be asking stupid questions about Santa (Robin didn't mind as long as she was asking him); Cyborg will dress up like Santa (it didn't even fooled Starfire); Beast Boy will hang mistletoes at the oh so wrong places (Robin banned him from putting it in the toilet); and Raven, well, helps all the others to put up the decorations, that's about it.

As Raven handed the last decorations piece (the golden star) to Beast Boy, she quickly slumped back onto the nearest sofa and started reading her latest horror novel "The Stowaway".

Beast Boy shrugged as he saw the cover page of a man in shadows on top of a train with an axe in his hands. "Raven, you're never gonna get in the holiday mood if you keep reading horror novels! Why don't you try reading some Christmas stories? They always help get me in the mood," Beast Boy said with a smile.

Raven tilted her head in curiosity, "You read?" Beast Boy shrugged again, and answered, "As a matter of fact, yes, I do read, well, mainly joke books and Christmas stories, but that's not the point! The point is, try reading something, Christmassy! I'll even borrow you one of my books if you promise not to wreck it," he asked nicely.

Raven looked at Beast Boy straight in the eye, and said, " Like any story of your possession or anyone else's for that matter, will get me in the Christmas spirit, which by the way, is a figment of your simple-minded imagination,"

Beast Boy looked like he received a lash from a whip, but held his ground. _I'm not gonna end up on Santa's naughty list like Raven just because of an insult! Sheesh, why does she have to be so stuck-up on Christmas every year!?_ Beast Boy doesn't really believe in Santa Claus anymore, but he still leaves soymilk and veggie cookies near the Christmas tree just in case (Starfire still writes to Father Christmas though).

"Oh well, gotta get the tofu ready, wouldn't want Cyborg to be cooking an ALL-MEAT BUFFET!" Beast Boy shouted across the room where Raven suspects Cyborg is cooking something in the kitchen that would make Beast Boy barf. She regretted thinking about it. B.B then ran into the kitchen to prepare his own meal. _Cereal for dinner coming up._

The living room was silent again (well, she could still hear Cyborg and Beast Boy arguing about food again, but she got used to it) and Raven started reading again. _They heard bumps and bumps on the roof of the train, it sounded like footsteps of someone, or something. Linda and the other passengers sighed in relief when they were gone. When the conductor passed by her, she asked, "Sir, what was that?" He answered, "_

"The money which all the fake Santas collect will be donated to various charity associations…" "But why do the fake Santas not keep the money they so rightfully earned?" "They didn't earn the money Star, people donate it to them so that…"

Just when Raven was getting to the good part, Robin and Starfire (in cute winter attire) barged in from the door rambling something about donations. And it wasn't helping her now rising temper either, but she recited a few incantations to calm down. Raven didn't want to let the others see her so worked up over this small thing.

Raven decided on reading her horror book in her room. _Least it'll be quiet and away from the Christmas freaks. _She got out of the sofa and walked out of the room, but before she could even take 2 steps, Raven noticed Robin and Starfire stopped talking and started shifting rather uneasily across the room. That's when she saw what was hanging up on the ceiling. A mistletoe. Apparently the two lovebirds were in "la la land" and were oblivious to everything around them but each other, and they got closer…and closer…and… BOOM.

Robin and Starfire abruptly came back to their senses and jumped in fright to see what blew up, but noticed small green pieces of something floating down to the ground. They looked up, and saw that the mistletoe was gone. Then they saw a swoosh of blue stomping up the stairs, mumbling something that sounds like "stupid mistletoe" and "stupid Beast Boy".

Just as Raven was halfway upstairs, she heard Cyborg's voice, "Ho Ho Ho! Dinner's ready y'all!!" A nearby light bulb exploded from black energy. _I am hating this stupid holiday by the second. _Already, thoroughly, irritated, Raven flew down the staircase (nearly knocking Robin and Starfire in the process) and into the kitchen.

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In case I've forgotten to do it, I do not own Teen Titans and the Polar Express. Good constructive criticisms are very much needed. Enjoy for all and for all enjoyment!! gets a mouthful of mistletoe for stupid phrase 


	2. The Adventure Begins

Chapter 2: The Adventure Begins

Sorry if it took a while, I needed some inspiration. This is the chapter where the adventure all begins. Enjoy for all and for all enjoyment!! (gets a mouthful of avocado cookies for stupid phrase)

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Later that night, after the Christmas Eve dinner, Raven tried to cry herself to sleep, but to no results but more bitterness. She wasn't the only one in tears after Christmas dinner: Raven could hear Starfire's weeping all the way from her room (Robin was there as well); There was a lot of crashing and bashing from the east side of the Tower where she suspected Beast Boy was releasing his anger; even Cyborg seemed on a verge of tears after that horrible, horrible incident…Raven couldn't pull herself together to think about it, it would only make her already broken heart even worse.

Every furniture in her room was levitating from Raven's sorrow, but she cared not for the lifeless objects, but for her friends, if she had any left that is.Will they ever speak to her again? Will they forgive her for that horrid action she committed? Will they even want her to stay in the Tower!? So many negative thoughts were floating around her now fragile mind, and the more she thought about it, the more she doubt that it will ever happen, _not even Starfire would forgive me._

Raven didn't realize until now that she was sobbing rather loudly. She hushed herself up with her blanket, it silenced her a bit, but it didn't made her feel better at all. She ruined Christmas for all of them just because of her hatred against it. Christmas cookies, mistletoes, presents, trees, and St. Nick himself, it was completely pointless!! Robin's cookies made everyone sick! Why should you kiss under a piece of WEED!! Why waste precious money to buy a gift to someone else that probably won't even appreciate it!! Why chop down a stupid tree then decorate it with overly colourful lights!!? Why is…Santa…actually, Raven couldn't think of any faults in the big man at all.

However, as pointless as Christmas is, there was one thing that Raven couldn't help but agree in a positive tone: it made her friends happy. For some unforeseeable reason, Christmas makes many people very happy and cheerful indeed, like her friends for example: Robin would get particularly mushy with Starfire (Raven cried a bit for ruining their moment under the mistletoe); Cyborg would turn all big-brotherly all the sudden, what with a Santa suit and all, _sigh_, he was like a big brother to everyone, particularly to Raven…; Beast Boy's usually corny attitude would turn surprisingly sweet and polite, Raven remembered the times when Beast Boy was particularly nice to her, but quickly shook away the thoughts undesirably, all those times that he was nice to her, _but after what I did…_

Raven felt tears running down her face again. _I guess I do have feelings for him after all, but…_ Raven's train of thoughts were halted when Beast Boy stopped thrashing his room and started bellowing loudly. And it was getting louder. And LOUDER. And it didn't sound like an elephant or lion at all. As a matter of fact, it sounds like it came from _outside._

_What could make this much noise at a time like this!? All the way onto Titans Island!!?_ Curious and unable to sleep, she got out of her bed, grabbed her winter cloak, and just to be prepared for anything, took a peek at her alarm clock, which has _unfortunately _stopped ticking on 10'o clock.

Apparently everyone else was still asleep, because no one came out to hear the racket, and felt the whole Tower shook all the sudden. Glasses were rattling, furniture started jittering, and even Raven was a bit spooked by it. Whatever that's out there, it's _BIG._

Raven still noticed no one came out and decided to call them. But wait, after what she's done, waking them up in the middle of the night probably wouldn't be the best idea… _maybe it's best I do this on my own, it'll get my mind of the…incident… _She took a big swallow of courage and headed out into the bitter cold winter And gasped.

It was a train.

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Surprise! Surprise! If you thought this was surprising, there'll be two special guest stars tagging along next chapter you won't believe will be in!!! Sorry if it's a bit short, I needed to jumpstart this story.Enjoy for all and for all enjoyment!!! (gets a mouthful of island dirt for stupid phrase)


	3. All Abroad!

Chapter 3: All Abroad!

I'm am so very sorry this story didn't came out before Christmas, but you'll still enjoy it, promise. Enjoy for all and for all enjoyment!! (gets a mouthful of hot chocolate for stupid phrase)

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Raven was petrified at the magnificent sight. An enormous Victorian-style locomotive, spewing out clouds of smoke, and at least 350 feet long, parked right in front of the now snowy beach _on an island. _And etched on the each section of the train were the words, "Polar Express".

Raven's eyes never took off from the train, until she noticed something in front of it, and once again, petrified. Rail tracks. 2 metal pieces were floating on icy cold water, and stretched as far as her once teary eyes could see.

Raven was awestruck and dumbfounded at the same time. When in the world did, this… train get here!?? And how did those tracks appear out of nowhere!?_ I…I must dreaming. That must be it, I must be in a dream!_ Figuring that was the only explanation, Raven started to slowly trudge back to the Tower, while hoping the train will disappear. Until she heard…

"All abroad!!" A lump of snow exploded from the shock Raven so unwillingly received. She shot a quick to the left to see where it came from. It was a man wearing blue, standing on a staircase leading into the train.

Being the type that was cautious but suspicious, Raven slowly walked towards the man in blue, who seems to be the imaginary conductor of this magnificent train (she was still in denial that a train was sitting on an island beach on Christmas Eve). She readied herself for anything.

After for what is actually a tiny stroll, Raven felt like she went through a marathon, and finally, a few feet, away from the, conductor. As Raven took a better look at him, he was checking something on a clipboard, then the time on a golden pocket watch, a sight quite uncommon in Jump City. Then his eyes that were shielded by a pair of crescent moon spectacles glanced over to a very dumbfounded little grey girl with a comforting smile on his face.

"Evening miss. Are you Raven by any chances?" the conductor asked with a rather –let's get on the train- tone.

Raven nervously nodded. In the rather interesting dimension that was Raven's mind, Timid was so nervous to the point of shivering, she doesn't even have the energy to look for Brave, who was being a bit neutral right now.

"Check. Hmm…" After ticking his clipboard, he made several disappointing clicking sounds. "Tsk, Tsk miss, you've got the one of the worst reasons to get on the Polar Express I've seen in years!"

Raven, who was in an awestruck trance for awhile now, shook it off at the surprising remark she just heard, "Excuse me? One of the worst reasons to get on this train…"

"Well sure, says right here on old Clippy: you made a rather hurtful remark to your friend; you blown up a mistletoe, with a cute couple having a memorable moment below it by the way, and at dinner…"

"Stop, stop! I've heard enough already," Raven was getting more and more confused by the minute, and having flashback of the…_incident_… doesn't help at all. She could feel her eyes starting to water, and here she is, with nothing to wipe it away.

Seeing as how the little grey girl reacted to his…speech…, the conductor politely offered her his handkerchief. "Thanks," After wiping off her tears, Raven gave the handkerchief back to the conductor with .a rare smile, only to have it wiped away when she got a good look at it: a Christmas tree. It was a good thing the conductor quickly took it back or she would've just dropped it.

"No problem miss, so , ya comin?" The conductor replied while checking his pocket watch. Having adapted to already so many mind-boggling happenings in a matter of minutes, Raven simply raised an eyebrow, and asked, "Am I coming? As in, me, getting on this train? To where?"

The conductor snorted, and replied, "Why to the North Pole of course! Hahaha, where'd you expected, the South Pole!?"

And just when she was getting used to it, the words "North Pole" came along. _This must be a dream…there's nothing there but snow and polar bears!! This has to be a dream…it has to be!! _What little grey was left on Raven's face. She took a few steps away from the conductor, and another, and another, until her hand was touching the doorknob which leads back into the Tower, away from the…dream…

The conductor took one last look at Raven with a sigh and what Raven could've sworn, a touch of sadness, and went back into the train. Then, the train started to hum back to life, with clouds of smoke huffing up into the air, and the enormous wheels started turn, moving the train forward and away from Titans Island.

As the locomotive started to pick up speed, Raven felt a lump of regret slowly engulfing her. _Why, why didn't I board the train? Why? _There were so many whys in her mind Raven felt sick to the core. Then, she did something not quite instinctively, not quite regretfully, but most definitely wholeheartedly: "Hey, wait, stop!! STOP!!!"

Raven started to run at the train, shouting at her top of the lung to stop the train, but it was really picking up the speed. Luckily, Raven kept her a cool head and _flew_ into the door.

As she got into the train, she felt an instant warmth flowing through her. As she turned open the second door that leads into the passenger seats, she was face-to-face with the conductor holding a rather large smirk. "Why the change of heart?" the man asked.

Raven paused a bit, then said, "I need to get to the bottom of this crazy dream or I'll be stuck guessing this phenomenon my whole life, happy?" The conductor could instantly tell that that wasn't the only reason. He made way for Raven to go through, while trying to avoid his piercing hazel eyes. And once again, shock of her life.

Children. Little children. From about 6 to 10 years old, shapes and sizes (but still normal children), about a dozen children with their pyjamas on, scampering about the seats, having conversations, or simply sleeping in their seats. _This just can't be good for my blood pressure._

After a few nudges and pats on the shoulder, every child in this section of the train turned to look at Raven. Using this to his advantage, the conductor said, "All right kids, back to your seats, back to your seats now. You too Raven," Some of the kids gasped while others simply stared. Raven sat at the back corner of the seats, away from the others . "All right then, everyone, please hand out your tickets from your pockets to the nearest conductor -that would be me- to have your tickets punched, please,"

Raven bit her lip so hard, she almost tasted blood. _What golden ticket? The conductor didn't say anything about a golden ticket!?_ She searched around her pockets, but realized, _she doesn't have any._ She looked around her cape, no pockets, she looked _all_ around her leotard, no pockets, she even looked at the inside of her hood, _no pockets._

Raven was starting to panic a bit. She didn't want to get out of this train so early! She looked around at the children and they all produced a golden ticket, and using a little puncher, the conductor punched the tickets at such speed that he rivalled a machine.

Raven was clutching her head again in sheer confusion. Doing it in front of a grown man was bad enough, but a dozen children!? _I need to meditate when I get out of this train. _She took another look at the conductor, and he got closer… and closer and he went out of the backdoor without even looking at her.

_Huh?_ _That conductor went out without punching my ticket, if I have one that is. This has to be a dream…_ Raven sighed and started to meditate. "Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos, Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos, Azarath, Metrio…"

Raven suddenly felt a soft breath of air touching her face. She opened her eyes and saw six little heads staring at her. A particularly little girl asked, "Miss Raven, what'ca doing?" She paused at the rather awkward question thrown at her at a very awkward situation.

"I'm meditating," Raven flatly answered.

"What for?" a boy asked.

"To calm me down," Raven answered again, but with a bit more attention thrown in.

"Why would you wanna calm down when we're going to the North Pole?" a girl in blue asked.

"North Pole? Kids, I'm not sure whether you know this or not, but the place has been explored before, and there's no Santa's workshop, no little elves, and no Santa for that matter, at all. It's just a figment of your imagination,"

The kids gave her a curious look, "If you knew there isn't any Santa or elves or anything Christmasy there, then why'd you jumped back into the train at the last minute?" One boy politely asked.

Raven opened her mouth to say something, but nothing came out. In truth, she has almost no idea why she did it, other than to get to the bottom of this _mystery_ of course, but she didn't dare to tell them that.

"I guess it's because I followed my heart, and I was curiousto see where it takes me," Raven replied. The kids looked at her curiously, but they bought it and left her alone. In a philosophical sorta way, that was part of the truth, not entirely, but partly.

Just when Raven started to cross her legs to meditate, she heard a shriek. It sounds like it came from the window, but it was too dark to see what's outside. Some of the kids were already screaming. Whatever it was, it's trying to get in. Raven's mind suddenly floated back to her horror book, "The Stowaway". This was how the antagonist got in and killed everyone inside. _I shouldn't have read that book today…_

"Kids, get back, this could get ugly," Raven positioned herself in the middle of the train and the kids got all the way behind her. That…thing was making a hole in the window. She charged her powers to prepare for the worst.

The thing that cut a hole in the window, and popped into the train, was Red X.

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Just call me the suspense king! Sorta. R&R please! Enjoy for all and for all enjoyment!! (gets a mouth full of zynothium for stupid phrase)


	4. The Cunning Battle

This is where the next special guest pops in. Have ya guessed it? Enjoy for all and for all enjoyment!! (gets a mouth full of tickets for stupid phrase)

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An eerie, yet awkward silence loomed over the passengers at the sight of the mysterious, yet irritating villain known as Red X. The silence lasted for almost a minute, with Raven and Red X keeping full attention on each other's movements, until a child broke the ice, "What'ca doing here, Mr. Red?"

It didn't take a genius to figure out that Red X raised an eyebrow in that skull embedded mask of his. "First of all kid, no one calls me Mr. Red but _me, and _secondly, why are _you _here?" Raven almost smirked.

"Funny, I was going to ask you the same question," Raven replied.

"Well, isn't it obvious? I saw this huge train parking on the island beach, and who wouldn't be curious?" said Red X, and continued, "So I jumped on this old cart, and got in. And this is the welcome committee I get? A Christmas grinch in blue and a bunch of scrawny little kids?" Red X rudely remarked.

The little kids didn't say anything, but they had a smug look on their faces, and Raven was pondering at what Red X just said _, huge train parking on the beach , Christmas Grinch in blue? _A split second later, she gasped.

"You were on the island just now! And you saw… you saw…" Red X crossed his arms with a head tilt of obviousness, "Took you long enough! I thought maybe it'll be fun if I _dropped _by, do a little reshuffling here, a little peek there, and maybe grab a few bites along the way… but, after seeing _that,_ I kinda lost my stomach, -I know the borderline- so here we are, and, oh…" Two sharp crimson Xs protruded from his hands. "Are we gonna duke it out, or not?"

Raven was silently hoping that it wouldn't have to come to this. She really does want to give him a good shakedown, but as much as she hated to admit it, Red X is more than capable of overpowering her, and she's now alone, without her friends here to help her out. _If they would help me that is._

And what's more, there are a dozen kids on board, and things could get nasty. But worst of all, he knows her little secret, and _who knows what he'll do with it._ After another series of eerie, yet awkward silence, Raven made her choice.

"There are four large shards of broken glass aimed at the back of your hands and legs. Any sudden movements, any sudden _statements_, I'll send them flying through you," the kids tilted their head so they could see what's behind him, and gasped at the sight of four sharp pieces of glass from where Red X cut in for his entrance surrounded in black energy and aiming right where Raven said it would be. Red X was stunned.

"Judging by the little kiddies gasps, you ain't kiddin," Raven raised a glowing hand that was hiding in her cloak to warn him again, "Any sudden movements, any sudden statements, I shoot,"

Red X shrugged his shoulders a bit, and said, "I gotta admit, you're sneaky for a Grinch," he could almost feel the shards poking his suit, but that didn't stop him from doing a back-flip and smashing the glass pieces into harmless bits in mid-air. He landed back on his feet with the remark, "But I'm sneakier,"

"Kids, back in the seats, NOW!" Raven shouted as she blocked a fury of flying Xs. Red X leaps at her and strikes. She blocked it out with a black streak just in time, but Red X was resilient with his attacks and kept the pressure on. Red X slashed and stabbed forward, with Raven blocking and dodging back, only to have her back touching the door, with no where to run.

She glanced at seats beside her, but there were kids there. _Parrying to the side, ruled out._

"No where to run, no where to hide," mocked Red X who was standing just a few feet away from a cornered Raven. The masked villain raised his palm to reveal a glowing crimson X, ready to finish off the quick battle. But as they say, _nothing's more dangerous than a cornered half-demon, _and she does have one more trick up her sleeves…

An enormous X cannoned right at Raven. Taking a deep, deep breath, she braced herself and jumped back _through _the door. "What the…!!" Red X exclaimed in shock. A big crimson X was all that's left of Raven's little trick. And she was about to do another…

"Azarath Metrion Zinthos!" chanted Raven as she appeared from the top of the train using the same technique. Her hands glowed black and so did X's body. Black energy quickly engulfed him and he was trapped like a corpse in a coffin. _Good thing he didn't know I could pass through solid objects._

"Heh heh, so, no hard feelings for calling you a Grinch?" Red X frankly croaked out with a hint of fear in it. With one sharp glare, Raven turned him horizontally, and prepared to toss him out of the broken window of which he made his entrance. Just as he was about to shoot out of the train, Red X exclaimed, "Wait! Wait! Just here me out okay?"

Raven paused, but was ready to throw him out if he did anything funny. Red X continued, "Look, I know this really doesn't sound like me, but… I'm… I'm sorry for attacking you for no specific reason a moment ago, and I'm… sorry for calling you a, Grinch,"

Raven was positively dumbfounded. She was expecting a snide comment, or even blurting out the… incident…, but definitely not this. It didn't change anything though. Red X was floating closer to the window, and he desperately shouted, "Do you know how cold is it outside! It's a blizzard out there! And… I don't really have any place to stay! And I'll be good, I promise!"

His body stopped moving. Her heart tells her that Red X really means it, but logic has made it clear that he's going out. _He's telling the truth, but he's a criminal, he can't stay here! But he did meant what he said, and it is Christma… what am I thinking! I can't let this pointless festival cloud my judgement!_

Red X and the children was looking on at Raven having a mental battle with herself. Realizing that Christmas won't effect her choice at all (as that's the only reason why he shouldn't be thrown out), he blurted out, "If you throw me out of this train, I'll tell everyone about _it_, and I mean everyone!"

Raven stared at Red X. _Perfect, he's blackmailing me with THAT. Could this night get any worse? _Before she could do anything else, Raven felt the train slowing down, then came to a bumpy stop. She looked out into the window and saw they were in the rural part of Jump City. The kids looked out as well, and they saw the conductor talking to someone, but it was too snowy to see who it is. "I'll know what to do with you when the conductor gets here," Raven said to Red X.

"Kids, call the conductor here," Raven politely asked the children. After several nods, the kids shouted out of the broken window in which Red X made his unexpected entrance (you'll know what I'm gonna say when I mention this again) to the conductor out in the snow, and you can well imagine the look on his face when he saw the broken window, now imagine the look on his face when he saw what's on the other side of it.

"What in blazes been GOING ON HERE!!" The conductor shouted at the top of his voice when he saw the mess: Torn leather seats from Red X and Raven's short but cunning battle; Bit and pieces of glass lying all over the place; snow blowing through the broken window and, of course, a floating Red X.

"I've captured a stowaway, Mr… conductor, sir. I'm leaving you to decide what to do with him," said Raven.

The conductor huffed a bit, and said, "Well, congratulations on succeeding in capturing him, but he's no stowaway, he's on the list,"

Among all the awkward silences they've been through, this has to be the most awkward one yet, mouths were hanging open, long stares at the conductor, and Raven made a face that's something between a seizure and disappointment. Then the man instinctively reached in one of Red X's belt pouch, and took out not one, but two tickets. Using his trusty puncher, he punched each of them with lightning speed, stuffed one back into his pouch, and the other handed it _to _Raven.

"But… wha… how… why…" Raven was stammering like she never stammered before (to X's delight of course)when she was handed the golden ticket, but the conductor raised his hand to silence her, and said, "_We_ knew you don't have pockets, so he was invited for that reason, and a few other things,"

The conductor showed Raven the clipboard to prove his point. There were dozens of names listed there, but there wasn't any Red X. Seeing that look on her face, the conductor pointed a name right below Raven's, and made a rather evil smirk. _An eye for an eye…_

"So, does this mean I get to stay?" Red X hopefully asked. Raven flatly answered, "Yes you may, but only because of the ticket. And if you try anything funny, _again, _I'll tell everyone _your real name_,"

There are getting far too many awkward silences in this chapter, but there's one more to go. Meanwhile, Red X was gruffly released from his black binds and he quietly settled down on a seat, mumbling something like "I'll get even", while the conductor was patching up the window with duct tape and a thick piece of paper. Raven took a seat as well while keeping an eye on Red X, who's fiddling with his ticket. Then she remembered there was some mark on the it, and on the ticket, there were holes that read "ST". The conductor punched the two words apart like an uncompleted word. _This trip just keeps getting weirder and weirder._

After patching up the window, the conductor was scratching his head to remember something. Then a look of dread fell upon him. "Err, little missy, I don't have to call you to get in the train, so, could you get in please? Tight schedule here!" shouted the conductor at the passenger who was still outside. A teenage girl dressed in white stepped into the train, and Raven nearly fainted.

The girl looked exactly like Terra.

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Did anyone guess? But, she's not the last passenger, no. There'll be one more, and that person will be _special._ Enjoy for all and for all enjoyment! (gets a mouthful of pebbles for stupid phrase) 


	5. Of 2 Passengers and Hot Chocolate

Sorry for the long wait. I had to juggle homework, school projects, and another story (Teen Titans: A Cinderella Story:) and so here we are! Oh, and just to let you know, this story gets very psychological (Raven's thoughts, strange happenings and plot twists and manipulation). Enjoy for all and for all enjoyment! (gets a mouthful of blonde hair for stupid phrase)

Raven was standing right in front of a friend turned traitor (to Raven's eyes at least), a blonde bombshell (to BB's eyes if he were there), a person who Beast Boy's heart holds very dear to (Terra isn't the only one now, but we're still not sure if that _is_ Terra), a person now wearing a beautiful white gown (it makes you think of springtime and while lilies), and walking into the train. A person whom Raven remembers being encased in _stone, under a cavern_ (it was snowing when the train stopped and picked, _her_ up).

"T…Te…Terra??" Raven muttered. The girl had her head down in shyness a moment ago, then looked up at Raven with the brightest blue eyes and the biggest smile you can imagine on her face. Raven doubled back at the sudden perkiness, and the girl said in an even perkier voice, "Terra!? No, silly! Name's Lucy Anne, but you can call me Lucy!"

Lucy walked up to Raven and shook her hand, "So you're gonna tell me your name, or am I going to have to guess?" the perky blonde perkily asked.

"Rae…ven. Raven," she nervously croaked out. Even though she looked exactly like Terra, when Lucy touched Raven's hands (Lucy wasn't wearing gloves), the gothic beauty knew, no, _felt, _that this was definitely, not, Terra. And there was something about Lucy's eyes: They looked like Terra's, but there was something else, not of this time, not quite right, but not quite wrong either. Whatever it is… _she's not completely human._

In the middle of thinking of what caused her sudden appearance, Red X made a move on Lucy, in this case, shoving Raven off to a side and flexing his muscles a bit in front of Lucy. "Hey, Lucy. X. The one and only Red X," he coolly replied. _He did not just made a move on that girl, and shoved me off because of it! , wait, why would I care for Ter… I mean Lucy! Oh, that's why, _Raven thought while she sat by the ice-cold window, with everything seeming to move so fast and unpredictable.

"Hey Red! Glad to meet you here! And I love the suit, really swanky!!" Lucy replied while vigorously shaking his hand, completely unfazed by the fact that a now dumbfounded Red X just tried to hit on her.

She seemed to radiate this incredible sweetness around her: The kids were wearing big smiles when she addressed them, the conductor simply melted at the sight of Lucy's smile, and even Raven couldn't help but grin at her. _It's like meeting Starfire all over again. Starfire… I hope she's finally stopped crying and went to bed. And how am I going to speak to her tomorrow, or the others for that matter! Will they even speak to me? Wait a minute, wait a minute, if Lucy couldn't be fazed by X's attempt at hitting her, then maybe Starfire would find the heart to accept my apologies! Yes!…NO! No, I'm comparing Starfire with a Terra look-alike here! She wouldn't act the same way as Lucy, would she? And why am I being so selfish!? What am I to do? What am I to do!!_

Raven now realized she was banging her head on the window for the last two minutes. Luckily it was shatterproof. "Raven, you okay? You were banging your head pretty hard there," Lucy asked with a comforting smile. The sight of it instantly soothed Raven. Just like _Starfire's_ smile…

"It's all right, I'm fine, with the exception that I have a spitting headache now. I was just… thinking about something," Raven said while rubbing the side of her head. She felt the train starting to move again, and everyone was back at their seats.

The seating arrangements were changed with the inclusion of Red X and Lucy. Now Red X was occupying the entire front rows of the cart, with Raven and Lucy (who was worried about Raven's head-banging) in the middle, and the children crammed at the back seats like sardines. Awkward as it may be, it was for the safety for all of them, the conductor said before leaving the cart and onto another cart in front.

As the train began to pick up the pace, Raven looked at the black-clad criminal who was looking out at the window and asked (or interrogated in my opinion), "So, how did you get your suit's powers back? I remember Robin saying that he took away the source of it's power, the belt. How did you get another one?"

Red X peeled his eyes away from the window and smartly replied, "Ya know, for someone who single-handedly ruined the Titans's Christmas, you sure got one quick mouth," Raven flinched a bit when he said that, but resisted the urge to throw him out. "Oh, and this little ol' thing? Made it myself,"

Raven's eyes widened. "You made a digital power belt that controls, stabilizes and functions a zynothium combat suit!?" she exclaimed. The kids looked on in confusion while Lucy giggled at Raven's big, bright eyes.

Red X looked taken back at Raven's unexpected reaction (from Red's point of view of course). "Hey, just because I've got the looks and charms, that don't mean I don't have the brains to make my own belt!" Red replied defensively. _If only we could say the same for your grammar…_

"But I ain't a Einstein ya know. And there are a few more to tweak and…" before Red X could go on blabbing about something that Raven might take advantage to, the train stopped again (for the last time, I promise), and the kids (and Lucy) began to look out at the window.

Raven saw through the thick glass window that they were in the _bad_ part of Jump City. Old, rundown buildings, dirty graffiti walls, it doesn't look like the place where you'll pick up a child _at all_. Raven's eyes suddenly fell upon a sign that says: Little Soul's Orphanage for the Mentally Disturbed and Deranged. And that's when she saw a little girl, no more than eight years old, staring at the train and not moving a single muscle.

While Lucy has a warm face and a sparkling personality, this, orphan, no, girl looked pale dead. Even in the heavy snowfall, everyone in the train saw that her face was stern and icy cold, as if they were looking at a corpse. Several of the kids have already looked away from the eerie sight; Red X was feeling awkward at what he should do next; Lucy had a look of great pity for the girl; and Raven, well, the girl eerily reminded Raven of her _younger-self_.

The conductor was then seen walking (nervously might I add) to the girl. She didn't even looked at him, and continued to stare at the train. Only Raven, Lucy and Red X continued looking at the girl. When they saw him talking to her, staring at the train she still did. Raven could almost feel the child's stare boring itself into the train.

After a few tense, _tense_ moments of the conductor trying to get her attention, the conductor gave a hard look at his clipboard (Raven almost saw him smiling), and he continued again on trying to get the attention of the little girl. This time, there were results. The girl's face looked at the conductor's, but it was still corpse-cold. After a little chat (the girl still looked on at the conductor), the two went off in different directions, the now paled conductor on the front side of the cart, and the little girl, the last train-cart, all the way at the back, right behind the one Raven, Lucy and Red X were in. Through the window on the door, they saw the girl walking (almost like stalking), to her seat and sitting down. And the train started to move again.

The three teens slumped back to their seats, with X sighing a big relief, "It's official, that girl out scares Wicked Scary, Exorcist, and the Ring allll the way. I mean, it's like looking at a…" And for the second time, Red X was interrupted again, this time, by Lucy.

"Hey! Don't be so harsh on her, ok! It's not as if she wants to be that way, and what would you know about her from just looking out at a window!!" Lucy with her eyes flaring with sudden anger shouted at Red X in a big-motherly sorta way. Red X seemed to shrink in his seat and sealed his mouth shut. Raven smiled. _She may not be completely human, but she has heart. _In the interesting dimension that is Raven's mind, Timid, Happy, and Jealousy were having a little conversation.

"Oh, wasn't that sweet of her to defend that little girl! If Knowledge would let me, I'll give her a BIG hug!!" Happy squealed with, happiness. Jealousy crossed her arms.

"Hmph! Why can't I be that nice! Just because she has a bright personality, cute looks, and a good heart, that doesn't mean I don't know how to be nice! Or showing it off for that matter!" Jealousy said. And she gave Timid a rather hard glare. The grey-cloaked emotion held her head down even more.

"I don't mean to hide it, I really don't. But what if I get too nice, or angry, or sad? Something bad will happen, I know it will," Timid spoke softly. "And that girl, that little girl, she scares me. Those soulless eyes, that cold, rigid face, it's like looking at a younger _me,_" Timid cringed in fear.

Happy made a sound that sounds something like "aww" and gave Timid a comforting hug. "Don't worry, Tim-mie (Timid's nickname), that little girl won't hurt you, who knows, maybe she'll be a new friend to us," Timid cringed again and Jealousy flared up. "She'd better!"

Back in reality, the conductor dropped in on the cart, took a microphone and formally announced, "Ladies and gentlemen, may I have your attention please? If everyone would get back to your seats, refreshments would be served, and it would be, HOT CHOCOLATE!!" the conductor shouted.

Suddenly, the seats turned horizontally, with two facing each other like chairs. And the most wonderful sight came into the train: a dozen or so waiters popped in, jumping in sequence with balance that rivalled the Boy Wonder, threw out their aprons in between the seats, and it floated on like an invisible table. And they laid several cups on it as well.

That was all very well done and magical as it is, but it was nothing compared to this enormous, brass machine, squirting delicious hot chocolate into the mugs with incomparable accuracy. As amazed as Raven was, it was nothing compared to when the conductor broke into a song:

_When it comes to hot chocolate, _

_We've got only one rule,_

_Never ever let it cool!_

_Never, ever let it cool! (waiters)_

_Never, ever let it cool!_

_Drink it while it's warm,_

_Drink it while it's hot!_

_Icy-cold: it's a definite NOT!_

_Drink it while it's warm! WARM! (waiters)_

_Drink it while it's hot! HOT!_

_Icy-cold: It's a definite NOT!!_

_So let this be a refreshment,_

_Of hot-CHOCO-LATE!!_

And it all went of at the end of the song. It was the most, delicious, cup of hot chocolate Raven has ever tasted! It's, indescribable. If you've tried it before, please, tell me what it's like. It all may be a bit too fantastical, but _it's a good kind of fantastical, _Raven thought.

The seats were all back in their positions, and everyone was relaxing from the hot chocolate experience (Red X drank it from a straw). Even Raven looked like she could fall asleep at any moment. Just when her eyes were shutting, she saw Lucy with a cup of hot-chocolate in her hands, walking to the back-cart.

Where the little girl sat.

Yes, I know that wasn't the actual song, but I couldn't remember the lyrics well. Oh, and if you didn't know, this story is done in a third-person narrative. R&R please! Enjoy for all and for all enjoyment!! (gets a mouthful of hot-chocolate for stupid phrase)


End file.
